The EOW is the only conference of its kind and its impacts have been impressive. There is now a worldwide understanding and recognition of the problems connected with the oiling of wildlife. More and more governments and responsible industries have included oiled wildlife response as a fully integrated component of their oil spill contingency plans. A truly global community of oiled wildlife responders has also emerged from this series of conferences and together they have developed a shared understanding of standards of good practice which are increasingly recognised and applied all over the world.
Over its history of more than 30 years, EOWs have most often taken place in the United States. Its first European iteration was held in Germany in 2003, hosted by a US NGO. In 2009 the conference was held in Tallin, Estonia, hosted by a European coalition which included the Sea Alarm Foundation, Oil Spill Response, Limited and the Estonian Fund for Nature. The 2009 Conference theme was Science, Planning and Cooperation to Minimise the Effects of Oil on Wildlife and was attended by 148 participants from 25 countries.
The 13th EOW, co-hosted Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research and the Oiled Wildife Care Network, was held in Baltimore, USA in May 2018.
History of the Effects of Oil on Wildlife Conference
1982–Delaware, USA
Hosted by Tri-State Bird Rescue Research
1990–Virginia, USA
Hosted by International Bird Rescue
1993–Louisiana, USA
Hosted by Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research
1995–Washington, USA
Hosted by International Bird Rescue
1997–California, USA
Hosted by International Bird Rescue, CA Dept. of Fish & Game, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine
2000–S. Carolina, USA
Hosted by Tri-State Bird Rescue Research
2003–Hamburg, Germany
Hosted by International Bird Rescue
2005–Newfoundland, Canada
Hosted by International Bird Rescue
2007–California, USA
Hosted by International Bird Rescue, Oiled Wildlife Care Network
2009–Tallin, Estonia
Hosted by Sea Alarm, Oil Spill Response Limited, Estonian Fund for Nature
2012–Louisiana, USA
Hosted by Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research
2015–Alaska, USA
Hosted by Aiuká, International Bird Rescue
2018–Baltimore, USA
Hosted by Tri-State Bird Rescue & Research, UC Davis School of Veterinary Medicine/Oiled Wildlife Care Network